Cal Football: Jaydn Ott is Bears' Most Prolific Freshman Running Back

Ott needs 158 yards vs. UCLA on Friday to reach 1,000 for the season.

With his 97 rushing yards in the Big Game, Jaydn Ott seemingly found his groove again.

Even before Saturday’s 27-20 win over Stanford, Ott had become the most prolific freshman running back in program history.

It’s an unofficial title because Cal does keep official freshman class records.

But a dive into the past 70-plus Cal seasons showed Ott has exceeded the freshman rushing yardage of every one of his predecessors in Berkeley.

He now has 842 rushing yards, topping the total of 715 yards by Shane Vereen in 2008.

Ott, who gained 274 yards against Arizona early this season, had been held in check the previous five games. He averaged barely 42 rushing yards over that stretch, picking up just 3.2 yards per attempt. At Oregon State last week, Ott gained just 20 yards on the ground.

The first half against Stanford was more of the same. Cal actually threw 27 times in the first two quarters and attempted just six runs. Coach Justin Wilcox said the Bears anticipated Stanford would load the box against the runs Cal found early success throwing to its wideouts.

Ott had three rushes for zero yards in the first half.

He was handed the ball 15 times in the second half, picking up 97 yards and a touchdown.

“We had some things in the game plan specifically just to make sure he touched the ball,” Wilcox said. “We were a little behind in the first half on getting him touches . . . He got it going in the second half and the O-line made some really good plays.”

Ott augmented his rushing contribution with three receptions for 51 yards, giving him 148 all-purpose yards. He has shown himself to be a threat in the pass game all season, catching 38 passes for 270 yards.

His 10 total touchdowns (8 rushing, 2 receiving) also are the most ever by a Cal freshman.

Vereen, who went on to a seven-year NFL career, ran for more yards as a freshman than any previous Cal player. Others who had significant impact as freshmen include Joe Igber (694 yards in 1999), Lindsey Chapman (675 yards in 1991) and Marshawn Lynch (628 yards in 2004).

Ott needs 158 rushing yards on Friday against UCLA to reach 1,000 for the season — a total achieved 19 times by 16 different Cal players. The Bears’ most recent 1,000-yard rusher was Patrick Laird, who began his career as a walk-on and by his junior season in 2017 ran for 1,127 yards.

UCLA is allowing just 129 rushing yards per game, but over the past six outings that number has swelled to 170 yards.

Here is a list of every 1,000-yard rushing season by a Cal back, arranged chronologically, starting with the most recent seasons:

CAL FOOTBALL 1,000-YARD RUSHERS

(16 players, 19 seasons of 1,000 yards)

2017: Patrick Laird, junior, 1,127 yards

2014: Daniel Lasco, junior, 1,115 yards

2011: Isi Sofele, junior, 1,322 yards

2010: Shane Vereen, junior, 1,225 yards

2008: Jahvid Best, sophomore, 1,580 yards

2007: Justin Forsett, senior, 1,546 yards

2006: Marshawn Lynch, junior, 1,356 yards

2005: Marshawn Lynch, sophomore, 1,246 yards

2004: J.J. Arrington, senior, 2,018 yards

2003: Adimchinobe Echemandu, senior, 1,195 yards

2002: Joe Igber, senior, 1,130 yards

1993: Lindsey Chapman, senior, 1,037 yards

1992: Russell White, senior, 1,069 yards

1991: Russell White, junior, 1,177 yards

1990: Anthony Wallace, senior, 1,002 yards

1990: Russell White, sophomore, 1,000 yards

1975: Chuck Muncie, senior, 1,460 yards

1950: Johnny Olszewski, sophomore, 1,008 yards

1948: Jackie Jensen, junior, 1,080 yards

Cover photo of Jaydn Ott by Darren Yamashita, USA Today

Follow Jeff Faraudo of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jefffaraudo